Why bother with Powering devices over Ethernet?

Oftentimes you’d like to install a device such as a security camera. To install this device, you’d normally need two wires traipsing through your establishment. Usually, power comes a separate power cord and controlling the device using data requires using yet another cord, usually an Ethernet wire.

These two lines supply power and data. Data would send information to your device, allowing you to control it. For example, if you are running a remote control camera, any time you adjust the focus of the camera, this data is sent over the cable connected via Ethernet.

Wouldn’t it be nice to just have one wire running through your home or business? Enter Power over Ethernet (PoE). There are many advantages to using Power over Ethernet:

With one less wire to run, your bill from a local electrician just went down!

Your device doesn’t need to be next to a power outlet, or have a separate power source installed, thus allowing you increased freedom.

POE is advanced. Power over Ethernet can protect your devices from being overloaded, underpowered, or being installed incorrectly.

Because of its universal nature, Power over Ethernet can have a back up power source or be controlled easily – disable and reset devices at will!

With power on your network, the possibilities are unlimited. Give your business room to grow with simple and effective installation and scalability.

What practical applications can PoE serve?

Power over Ethernet can control a variety of devices. 3 of the most popular applications are:

VoIP (communicating via the internet).

IP cameras (security cameras, or other video cameras).

and wireless devices such as RFID readers (security cards).

How can you add Power over Ethernet to your home and commercial buildings?

POE Switch – Power over Ethernet Switches

A POE switch is a popular way to add PoE to your network. A PoE switch has Power over Ethernet built in. There are a variety of options available to suit any application. Ask your local electrician for advice regarding which PoE to buy, or have them set it up for you.

Then, simply connect your network devices to the switch like any other Ethernet switch. The PoE Switch can and will detect what devices are PoE compatible and make the necessary adjustment. For example it will enable the power automatically!

Midspan – Power over Ethernet

What if your regular network links do not have PoE? Use a midspan, or PoE injector. Each network connection must be routed through the PoE injector. A midspan can be used by an electrician contractor to upgrade existing LAN to Power over Ethernet. As with a PoE switch, there are a variety of midspan options available. Also similar to Power over Ethernet switches, power is automatically supplied.

PoE Splitter – Power over Ethernet Splitter

The device itself, such as an existing IP security camera, can be upgraded to PoE. The camera’s network connection is tied into the PoE splitter, and taps into the Power over Ethernet. The power is then converted into low voltage power acceptable to power the device.

What types of tools make PoE and PoE Switch installation easier?

There are a variety of tools available to test and install Power over Ethernet devices. Wire Works Co Inc officially recommends the use of Net Prowler™, Cable Prowler™ or Net Chaser™ tools. These are products of Platinum Tools. When these network testers are connected to an Ethernet cable, a lot of valuable information can be found out, like:

The Ethernet networking standard that underlies most of today’s wired data connections is over thirty-five years old. Early Ethernet connections offered bandwidth at a tiny fraction of what today’s connections do. Dozens of important developments have since collectively allowed for the far higher speeds users enjoy today.

In addition to evolving consistently in the digital realm of zeroes and ones, network cable in Colorado Springs has also developed greatly in terms of the data that it carries, like video and streaming material. The first cables used for creating Ethernet connections were simple by today’s standards, with many advances since allowing for far faster and more reliable networking.

Category 6 – State of the Art Advancements in Network Cable

The most advanced standardized form of cable at the present time is known as Category 6, often abbreviated as “cat 6.” Just like their predecessors in Category 5, data cables from this family come in a couple of different varieties.

What they share, though, is the ability to provide the greatest possible bandwidth allowed for by the modern Ethernet standard. When the right conditions are in place, Category 6 cables can deliver speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second under the 10GBASE-T Ethernet standard. At the same time, cable of this class will also allow for full backward compatibility with older, slower equipment, making this the most flexible and future-proof basic form of Ethernet cable Colorado Springs providers offer today.

Upping the Ante with Improved Shielding and Reduced Noise

While Category 6 has proved to be an extremely capable and desirable form of network cable in Colorado Springs, an even newer and more advanced version is also available. With improved shielding and other design tweaks, CAT6A cable can deliver the same levels of bandwidth over greater run lengths and with even more reliability.

Although the benefits of this refined version of the Category 6 standard become most obvious in especially demanding environments, making use of it in other settings can be a good way of covering all the bases. Because it is even more resistant to crosstalk and other forms of interference, it will often make sense to deploy cable of the more advanced Category 6 “A” type just to be safe.

Terminating Networking Cable

Of course, cable alone will not allow for the network connectivity that local business and residents are so interested in. Unfinished Ethernet cable of all kinds has to be terminated with an appropriate connector being affixed to each end of a particular run.

This is a straightforward, routine process, although it does require skill and attention to complete successfully:

The end of the cable is first stripped to expose the individual wires bundled within.

The wires are then carefully separated and sorted into a predetermined order according to their colors.

So arranged, the wires are inserted into a fresh connector of the appropriate class and type.

A specialized crimping tool is then used to permanently close the connector with excess wire length often being trimmed in the process.

Any necessary finishing will be conducted, followed by testing to ensure the termination was successful.

Running Network Cable in Colorado Springs in a Home or Business?

As might be expected, actually installing network cable in Colorado Springs is something a professional electrician will be well suited for. In fact, the installation of cabling itself is generally easier than doing the same for electrical wiring, with the skills that allow for the latter being all that are needed and then some.

It will therefore generally make excellent sense to call a local electrician for any work of this kind that might be needed. Terminating CAT6 is only one step in the process, and it is one an electrician will be especially well qualified for as well. Contact Wire Works Co Inc for all your Ethernet or network cable services.